How Bowie and I met?
Well, he was brought home by a friend who had found him and two little brothers walking on a provincial road. The two little brothers had been adopted. And this one, the shyest of them all, was all alone in this world. My friend told me to help out until she would find a long-term accommodation. I said yes, sure – no idea was I was getting into. Because from there, from my house, he never left again. We called him Bowie. His generic, as a pharmacist it’s all about generics, would be the Malinoi spepherd. 

Bowie is the most intelligent and intuitive dog in the world! No kidding. Bowie really is extraordinary for his intelligence and his intuition.

Our relationship is a special one for me because he changed my life. He changed it because I have never had animals. My parents didn’t like animals, they were even afraid of animals. I could never even think of having one at home, or, like now, wanting another one! Bowie changed my sensitivity towards not only the animal world but also made me understand many other things. It’s a relationship of gratitude, no less than that. At least on my part. Maybe even on his part because if he hadn’t met me who knows if he’d still be alive. I’ll always be grateful for having added something special to my life, for increasing my sensitivity.

His passions? Well, unlike other dogs of his size he doesn’t care much about food. He loves to roam freely, run on the beach, not be on a leash.

We don’t have a special language, for sure not a stereotyped one since he’s never been trained. It depends a lot on the situation. What I usually do is try to make myself respected at least in the most important issues. And he respects that. Anyway: A sausage is always a valid reason to make him do what I want!

If he were a person he would certainly be my third child who arrives perhaps late in life, unexpectedly. And for this reason the mother has a particular eye on him.

We love Bowie for many reasons! Because he is patient, whatever we do to him, pet him all over, kiss his ears, things that perhaps shouldn’t be done with dogs. But he would sit there waiting, patiently, and accepting our perhaps excessive effusions.

Bowie never did anything strange but one thing he did made us laugh a lot. It was eating a half-frozen fish that I had put on the stove and waiting to come back in the evening to cook it and I received a phone call from my daughter who said, “but Mom, did you forget to defrost the fish?” In reality Bowie had made it disappear. Very discreetly, really, without even moving the plate where I had placed the fish an inch.

Bowie never made it easy for me to interact with other people, because he is so afraid when we are around other people. He often barks when he sees an individual dressed in black with a hood. It’s an outfit, a certain kind of person, that scares him a lot and therefore I have to try to physically place myself between this person and him to reassure him. With me as a filter he remains calm. Otherwise, since he is afraid, he would try to defend me from what agitates him.

When I have to leave I usually take him to Giusi Luperto (3299212222) who is a certified dog trainer. Giusi is very good with dogs of any kind and her dog made friends with Bowie over the years. But when I go to pick him up he pretends to be angry. He is thrilled when he sees me but as soon as he gets into the car he turns the other way and doesn’t even give me a glance. I do know that he is happy there, Giusy always sends me videos of him playing with other dogs. And it is good for him to socialize with others of his kind. But he has to make me feel that something wasn’t right. Every single time.

Let’s just say he doesn’t do anything that bothers me. I’m sorry that he has this controversial relationship with the surrounding world when we go for a walk. But it was my responsibility not having accustomed him from an early age to socialize with the outside world. I always kept him at home a lot, he used to play in the garden and never became familiar with the outside world.

What we love to do together is go out where he can be free, where there is no one, on the beaches when there are no people, countryside. I would like to let him have many more of these experiences, in places where he can be free for whole days and wander around without having to be on a leash.

Bowie as I already said, is my third child, as well as the third brother of my children. Of course he sleeps on the bed, on a sheet that I put there for him. In fact what he does is move up and down all night, according to his needs.

Advice? It’s actually not what everyone says: Think carefully about getting a dog, etc. etc. Even though it is true that a dog is a responsibility and therefore we need to think about it. But it’s also true that if I had had to make the decision to keep him rationally, I would never have accepted him. So without knowing it I would have given up one of the most beautiful things that happened to me in life. Sometimes decisions made on impulse are the best. Because they make you discover a world of affection, sweetness, wealth that I would otherwise never have known.

PS: Marcella’s pharmacy is located in Lecce, Casciaro pharmacy. She also sells veterinary drugs.

* Together with a handful of other swimmer friends Marcella created the Association “SwimilSalento”, with the intention to surround the heel of the boot. 222 km in the open sea, swimming freestyle, in the summer as well as in the winter.

How did you find each other?
He was a gift in a time of great need. When I found out he was coming I went crazy with joy. I got to know him through the videos that the breeder sent (he was born in Civitavecchia and we live in Puglia). Then in April 2021, Covid times, we crossed half of Italy to go and get him. As soon as we met I immediately picked him up and from that moment on we never left each other any more.

Why is Barack amazing?
He makes everyone smile no matter what. Because he is clumsy, funny, simply “simpatico!” –  even when he sleeps. He thinks he is a Chihuahua but has the size of an elephant! That is why, about a year and a half ago, I decided to open his own Instagram profile “barackfacose”, to be able to share our moments of lightheartedness even with people we don’t know personally.

How would you describe your relationship?
He is my shadow, he follows me wherever I go and I don’t even remember what life was like without him.

His greatest passion?
Bread. He knows where we keep it so we often find him sitting there in front of the box, contemplating. He probably expects the box to eventually open up and feed him…

How do you understand each other?
I don’t know if this works for every dog, but Barack seems to understand everything I say, not just the basic commands we taught him during training sessions.

Who would Barack be if not a dog?
He could only be the former US President Barack Obama. Strong, ironic, brilliant. The name Barack was chosen in his honor.

Why do you love him?
I love him for so many reasons! He stole my heart with his infinite sweetness and his unpretentious love. He taught me so much about the virtue of patience, about the value of time, about the ability to appreciate the simplest things like the silence of a walk, gratitude and the ability to forgive because even when I leave him alone, when I return he he is always there, with his favorite stuffed animal in his mouth, ready to welcome me joyfully. Barack was the best unexpected surprise ever.

Do you remember anything particularly funny?
I do! Barack has always loved tennis balls. When he was about 6 months old I took him with me to a padel game. He spent more than half an hour trying to retrieve a ball on the sidelines through the glass. He made everyone laugh!

Has your dog made your life with other people easier?
Barack allowed me to meet and become friends with many people. I tend to be a very shy and solitary person but he helped me with this too. Now we have friends from the park, virtual friends from Instagram, friends from the neighborhood walk etc.

Do you have someone to leave the dog with when you leave?
When I’m not there I can leave him with my family. They take care of him as lovingly as I do. If they weren’t there, I don’t know if I would be able to leave, travel or go out with the same carefreeness. 

Is there anything that bothers you about him?
His stubbornness makes me angry sometimes. An example? When we are out and about and he has to decide where to go. He sits down and doesn’t want to walk until I indulge him. 

Your favorite activities together?
I love trekking with him in nature, going to the seaside or in the mountains, which are his favorite activities, too.

Are you dreaming of something special to do with him?
I would love to take him travelling more often, on all my adventures around the world. Unfortunately, the difficulty of traveling by plane and the impossibility of letting dogs into museums, churches and various monuments currently prevent me from doing so.  

Is this a dog that is 100% part of your family?
Barack is a member of the family in every respect. He sleeps in my bed, climbs on the sofa, has access to all the rooms of the house. A seat at our dinner table is the only thing he hasn’t gotten – yet.

What would you recommend to others who would like to take a dog in but cannot decide?
Do it, if you are ready to have your life turned upside down by a wagging tail, four little legs walking around the house and two eyes that you will no longer be able to do without. They will only give you unconditional love. But if you are not willing to sacrifice part of your time (and money), to go out in the rain, in the heat and the cold because walks are your dog’s favorite time, to clean your house when he is too young to understand that the needs arise outside or too old to be able to handle them, forget it. A dog is a living being that must be cared for, assisted, loved every hour of our life and forever, because it totally depends on us.

Aleksandro, you and your french bulldog Monet seem inseparable. How did that come about?  
Well, our story is a bit bizarre. Monet came into my life by chance. One summer I was in Salento with a friend. On the beach we heard people lying next to us talk about a family who had taken in a french bulldog as birthday gift for their kids. Those two, however, after playing with it for no more than two days, immediately got tired of it. So the poor dog had gotten locked up in a closet because the twins’ mother was afraid of dogs. I didn’t think twice, found out where the dog lived and drove the 20 km from Santa Cesarea Terme to adopt him. We’ve been together from that day on.  

What’s so amazing about your dog?
His cute little face! Just kidding. His character I would say. Monet is very sociable and playful, especially with children.

How would you describe your relationship? 
We complete each other: Wherever I go he’ll come with me.

Do you know about his secret passions? 
Taking naps on the veranda in the sun or hunting for lizards.

How do you “understand” each other? 
It was super easy to train him. Monet is very intelligent and seems to understand everything I say.

What makes him listen no matter what? 
Food!

If your dog were a person – who would he be? 
An artist (Monet) – or a comedian!

Why do you love him? 
He manages to make me smile even when I’m having a bad day.

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days? 
When I have to leave Monet stays with my parents (his “grandparents”) and he is very happy to be with them, especially with my father… He always has extra treats for him!

Is there anything that annoys you about him? 
Sometimes he can be very stubborn, especially when we go out. He wants to decide where we go – that’s so annoying!

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Lying on the sofa, watching TV series, as close to each other as possible.

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dog? 
One day I would like to take him in the snow.

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
A dog needs its space, its time and its considerations. It is a responsibility and not a game. But if you’re sure about what you’re doing and manage to create a feeling between you and the animal during the first, most important, couple of months, you’ll have a friend for life. 

Dear Carol, tell me about how you found each other…
Covid had taught me that our son Leonard needed company. Why not let him share his life with a four legged sibling, we thought? And I had already made an appointment at the local kennel to pick one for him, when a friend sent me a picture of a puppy that had been abandoned on the streets. From that moment on there was not doubt that Logan would be ours! I had a feeling he had chosen us and we accepted with great pleasure. Logan arrived at our home like a little guardian angel and immediately loved everyone. He spread joy wherever he showed up, in the family, at work, among my students… I couldn’t have been happier, especially because it was a difficult period for all of us, my father wasn’t well etc. We needed him so much and he gave us everything.

What’s so amazing about Logan? 
Logan has empathy that goes beyond. He seems to understand every mood and situation. None of us will ever forget how gentle and kind he was with my father in a particular moment. He just spreads love, continuously and without hesitation. He IS special. What I personally adore about him is the way he searches our gaze and his soft ears… 

How would you describe your relationship?
We live in perfect symbiosis. Every step I take is also his. We are both blonde, with brown eyes, that can’t be a coincidence! We ARE the same. And we both love to LOVE!

What do you know about his secret passions?
He loves chasing pigeons, swimming in the sea and digging large holes on the beach. Then of course he plays soccer with his human brother Leonard. Logan loves biscuits, has an unlimited passion for slippers and loves being scratched behind his ears.

Do you have a secret code?
Looking into each other’s eyes and his paw placed on my legs or hands. That’s it. 

What makes him obey no matter what?
Snap your fingers, take the house keys or call him by his nickname: Ninni 

If your dog was a person: Who would he be?
To me he actually is fairly human already. No kidding, he would definitely be my best friend, the one with whom you share your dreams and passions. To my son Leonard he actually became the best friend forever BFF and that fills me up with joy. 

Why do you love him?
Logan is my first dog and I actually had no idea how strong this bond could become one day. I had heard a lot about it, the owner-dog relationship, but I would never have imagined a symbiosis to this extent.  

What was the loveliest thing your dog ever did?
It was a moment like in a romantic american comedy. I will never forget the day Logan met Sidney, the female chocolate labrador, for the first time. It was in front of a school gate, love at first sight. From that day on, every time they meet during the morning walk, love is in the air. Almost embarrassing how much he adores her and how shamelessly he shows his affection… Really, these two are incredibly sweet to look at. 

Did your dog change your relationships with others?
Logan is very friendly with everyone! I like that a lot. In the Academy the students would sit close to him and caress him, they’d talk about their ideas and problems. And he listens, quietly, like a real therapist. It’s magic. 

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days?
He usually joins us on our family trips, but in case of vacations he stays home with some family member. I’d never leave him alone! He’s used to his house and I couldn’t stand the idea that he feels abandoned. He is visibly sad when I leave and hardly eats until I come back and find him waiting for me on the armchair in front of the house. To tell you the truth: We make video calls  with him while we’re gone just to cheer him up! 

Is there anything that annoys you about him?
Well, he hates scooters! He’d eat them all up if he could And then obviously he destroys all my slippers. They never last long!

What are your favorite things to do with him?
In the evening when we go to sleep, he lies down somewhere right next to my shoulder and stares at me for a loooong time. In the morning we enjoy our coffee (me) and biscuits (him) together. Then of course long walks off the leash. 

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dog?
I’d like to take him to Los Angeles with us. We already have the passport! 

Is Logan allowed on your bed…?
Sure, he’s family! Uncles, cousins, nephews are constantly looking for him to play with him or simply take him out for a walk. He sleeps on the bed with me and my husband, it has never been an issue.

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
I would say: Adopt a dog from a shelter. They are little angels who have a lot of love to give and you can feel the warmth that they share every day. Their faithfulness and loyalty is disarming.

Ciao Mina, may I ask how you and Toto met?
It was love at the first sight. I followed my heart and chose him from a photo, I had no doubt he would be the right one. And he actually became the dog for my heart and soul.

In a few words only: What’s so amazing about him?
His love is unconditional without any demands or claims. He is just there, but he would never overdo:  He’s clever enough to leave me enough space.

So your relationship is kind of like…?
Toto is my little cutie pie and partner in crime. He is always with me, knows all my secrets and understands me.

May I ask his favourite treat?
Cheese! He’d do anything for a piece of yummy cheese.

Who would Toto be if not a dog?
My boyfriend.

And where does he sleep?
In my bed. Where else would he sleep?

Anything exciting to tell about his character?
Well, Toto is very passionate about everything he does. While we were playing by the sea last time we were in Puglia, he got so excited that he accidentally bit me in my hand. Just a little bit, nothing too serious, those things happen I guess. We went to the hospital and after medication everything was fine. Just to make you understand his unlimited passion.

Anything about him that really stresses you out sometimes?
He is so happy, all the time, that it can actually be annoying.

Any plans for the future – together?
Toto and I are working on making our biggest dream come true: moving to Puglia and living/working from there most of the time. 

A piece of dog advice you’d like to share?
Taking in a dog is a decision that comes from the heart. If you have to think about it, it’s not the right thing to do.

PS: Sabine Vatter is the head behind the slow fashion brand Mina Vatter. She designs and produces unique fashion pieces using vintage cotton, linen or vintage silk.

What’s so amazing about Ulisse?
The thing I love most about him is the enormous love he gives us every day. He is an affectionate little dog and is very playful.

Who would he be if he were a person? 
He would certainly be another brother!

Do you know about his secret passions? 
Ulisse loves to spend his time playing with us and taking long walks. He loves going out with us and every time he sees us going out he places his pet carrier in front of him, thus communicating his intention to come with us.

How do you understand each other? 
Our language is based on a few simple words and gestures.

Did your dog ever bring you closer to other people?
Ulisse makes me feel part of a group. Meeting other dogs and their owners during the walk offers moments of discussion and light-heartedness… It’s wonderful to see Ulisse play with the other dogs and having fun!

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days? 
He has never been alone so far. When we are out of town the other family members are there to look after him.

Is there anything that annoys you about him? 
Whatever he does, he always makes me laugh! A bit less when he nibbles on my designer bags, yet never enough to get angry. Or when he wakes me up at dawn – I still find him adorable.

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Playing, going for long walks and sleeping in each other’s arms.

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dog?
I’d love to take him travelling one day!

Is your dog allowed on the bed?
He is. After carefully cleaning his paws, which we do every time we come back from a walk.

Any dog /advice you would like to share?
Well, getting a dog is a commitment, most probably you’ll be forced to let go of something else. But that’s nothing against the unconditional love they have for you, without asking for anything in return. It is a pure and disinterested love, inexplicable I would say.

Would you mind to introduce yourself briefly?
We are Cristiana Rollo and Gaetano Quarta, born in Lecce in 1989, Cristiana lived in Milan for ten years, graduated in Marketing and always worked in the luxury retail sector, Gaetano belongs to the Lecce coffee roasting dynasty that goes back 4 generations. We’re parents of Antonio, almost 5 years old, Arturo almost 2 years old and Vega who just turned 3.

Where did you meet?
We studied the various breeds and their their peculiarities intensely and selected the breed that we found most in line with our spirit, our lifestyle, our family. We found a cattery in Milan, started a dialogue with them, waited for a litter, selected the puppy and organized a transport with a dog taxi to Lecce.

What’s extraordinary about your dog?
Salukis are ‘children of the wind’ with an ancient genetic heritage. They are instinctive sight hunters; hunting is in their DNA. Reserved and shy, resistant to any type of training, true free spirits, in some respect more similar to the nature of felines than of a dog. The challenge is to gain their trust and respect, in an absolutely equal relationship, free from concepts such as ownership, obedience, belonging and training.

What kind of relationship do you have with her?
The same that you establish with a child during the first years of his life.

Do you know her passions?
Vega is a hunter. She is happy when she runs free reaching 70 km/h.

How do you understand each other?
Our relationship is very physical. Since she’s completely deaf to any vocal command and even to calls, we communicate through the love and sweetness of gestures, eye contact and tone of voice.

Do you have a trick to make her do what you want?
She only does what she wants! She’d never come or do anything just because we want her to, not even when we’re offering cookies.

If your dog was a person – who would she be?
Elsa Zylberstein in “Modigliani”.

Why do you love her?
We love Vega naturally and unconditionally, just like we love Antonio and Arturo.

What is the most unforgettable situation with her?
Her arrival at home one autumn evening, after a long journey from Milan to Brindisi, hidden under Gaetano’s jacket. That’s exactly where she slept for the next couple of nights, attached to Gaetano, in the living room, just the two of them.

Where do you leave her when you go away for a couple of days?
We never leave her! She always comes with us, wherever we go.

Is there something he or she does that particularly annoys you?
She nibbles on our furniture when she is hungry and we are late with her meal.

What is your favourite thing to do together?
Seeing her run free on the farm where we spend the summer and/or go for long family walks in the countryside.

Are you dreaming of doing something special with your dog one day?
We’d love to take her on a long trip. We have never left Puglia since she has joined us.

Is your dog part of the family and 100% at home?
Vega, a very sweet little girl, not at all standoffish and reserved like others of her kind, sleeps in our bed. Head on the pillow and body under the blanket. That explains everything.

Any advice you’d like to share?
Welcoming a dog into your home means letting another being into your living space, in need of care, love, attention and understanding. Approach on tiptoes and with respect, offering love. You’ll get unconditional love in return.

Where did you meet the dogs that changed your life, Nina and Tito?
I met Nina on the beach of Pozzallo, in Sicily, on January 1, 2020. All alone and eager to cuddle, this big puppy started playing with my son Giacomo and spent the rest of the morning by our side. Even though Giacomo insisted, we couldn’t take her home with us, first of all because we were on the island for the Christmas holidays, second because in our hotel in Ragusa dogs were not allowed. Last but not least we didn’t even know if she belonged to somebody (even though a her severe dermatitis suggested she didn’t). Reluctantly, we left her on the beach to play with another dog she had met in the meantime.
The next day, we went back to the beach to look for her, we simply couldn’t forget about her. We arrived fairly late and there was no trace of the little dog, so there was nothing left to do but to go for dinner. Leaving the restaurant and just about to hop in the car we finally saw her: She was waiting for us right there! The message was clear: This dog had chosen us and we certainly couldn’t leave her there. So we called a vet who left his family dinner to join us, examine the dog for any serious health problems and to check her for a microchip. Nina (the name we had chosen for her) was in good health, luckily, didn’t have a chip and was supposedly 6 or 7 months old. Unforgettable, the advice the vet gave us on the way: “Wait for her first heat and have her sterilized…”
Within a few hours we threw away our plane tickets, rented a car, booked the ferry and left for Milan. But the surprises weren’t over. After about twenty days Nina began to change. She seemed to be suffering, was very lethargic and anything but herself. Fairly worried about her, we had her examined again and found out our puppy wasn’t only healthy but was expecting no less than nine puppies! The first heat we had been waiting for was doomed.
By the time she was about to give birth, Covid struck. And even though she was lucky to be in the clinic, only four out of nine puppies survived, due to the strong medicines she had taken to combat her dermatitis.
We called the little ones Tito, Kobe, Cookie and Belle. Thanks to lockdown, they grew up in the warmth of our house, with the adventures that the garden of our condominium had to offer. The people of the house, especially the kids, were happy about the distraction, to have someone to play with etc. By the time the puppies turned 3 months, we had found families for our puppies and, two of them found a home just a few kilometers from our house, the other two didn’t even change the adress: Tito stayed with me and Kobe, his sweet little brother, lives upstairs and spends most of his days with his mom and brother.

In what way did the dogs change your life?
In Milan there are many dog ​​areas to let the dogs run free and socialize. Thanks to Nina and Tito I have met many people and some of them have became true friends. But the real revolution in my life is the small artisan company that produces tailored garments for dogs: I couldn’t find good-quality raincoats at acceptable prices, so I bought some fabric and had two raincoats made. Wearing them in the dog area and on the streets of Milan, many people asked me to make one for their dogs too. My company was born! Not only a new thing to do in a completetely different and quite inspiring sector, but also some kind of therapy at the time: While I was getting separated, my new business gave me the stability I needed and helped to reorganize my life. Nowadays I attend all the important fairs of the sector, I get to meet many new and interesting people. A whole new life in a whole new world. Without Tito and Nina this would never have happened.

If your dogs were people – who would they be? 
Nina is a petulant spinster aunt, who scolds the little as well as the big ones but who melts into an embrace of the people she loves. Tito would be the funny, nice, good cousin, always ready to go out for drinks with friends and have a great time.

Do you have a “trick” that always works? That makes them listen no matter what?
The sentence “Let’s go to the pastry shop for breakfast!” works wonders. That goes for everyone in the family by the way!

Why do you love them?
Because they are my dogs and they are full members of my family.

Where do you leave them when you go away for a couple of days? 
Nina and Tito have a dog sitter who loves them and who I chose extremely carefully watching him “at work” for a few months. They go for walkies every morning. I usually take them out very early in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. They have never gone to a boarding house or slept alone.

Do they sleep in your bed?
Yes, they do. Luckily I have a kingsize…

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
Think about it very carefully. The dog is not a toy, it is an important and constant and sometimes heavy commitment. It is the choice to take in a child who will never grow up and who you will have to take care of for its entire life. Don’t get a dog for the children! They will soon get tired of it and you will have an extra child. But if, after thinking about it really well, considering the many changes and commitments you will have to face, you still decide to get a dog, then (unless you are in love with a particular breed) go to a kennel or shelter and choose your friend for life there. You will recognize him among thousands and its love for life will be the best reward.

PS: Want to know more about Marcella Magliucci’s artisan company and her taylormade products for animals? Check it out on Instagram @zampaly_pet_shop

How did you meet Leo?
Leo is originally from Romania. We absolutely wanted to get an animal from animal protection, an issue I’ve been very passionate about for years. Saving a dog from unbearable conditions was our main target. Leo was picked out of more than 500 dogs because he was a victim of bullying, never got enough to eat. We were introduced to each other by the end of June 2020, and he moved in with us a couple of days later.

What’s so amazing about your dog?
Leo is a late riser. And he loves to cuddle! The best for him is his paw in the hand of one of us humans, being scratched on the stomach and falling asleep – again. Wonderful. Eating is his second favourite. He’s a vegetarian, like all of us. That often causes astonishment, but dogs are omnivores by nature, cats aren’t as flexible. Leo is healthy and happy and, according to the vet, in top shape. When I’m writing, he loves to be as close as possible, napping on his yellow dog sofa in one moment, the next sitting up and looking at me, and when I smile at him he will lie down again. He is very grateful and seems to understand how lucky he has been! And, frankly, if I had the space and the time I would adopt a couple of dogs more.
Then Leo loves our rabbits, who roam freely in our garden. He used to be particularly fond of one of them, Branko. While he was eating his greens, Leo sat next to him and watch. When Branko was done, Leo went out checking if there were any leftovers. He would never have eaten first, never chased away the rabbit.

How would you describe your relationship? 
Leo is a family member and looks after his pack without ever questioning the hierarchy. He looks out for us (sometimes more than necessary) and would defend us at any time.

If your dog was a person – who would he be? 
I think Leo would be a dreamy artist. There’s something quiet, withdrawn and somewhat romantic about him. A hedonist, sitting with a nice glass of wine watching the sunset.

Why do you love him?
I love how close we have become in no time! I never worried that he might run away. And apart from many sweet and funny things he does I love him because he would stand up for “his” family, there’s no doubt about that.

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days?
Actually we never leave him, we always take Leo with us. We don’t fly, not only because of Leo, but also for ecological reasons. We usually rent an apartment where Leo feels comfortable, too, often in the Unterallgäu where I grew up, but also elsewhere. Since Leo is very attached to us, I wouldn’t want to risk giving him away for a holiday and traumatize him, so that he might never want to be alone any more. I’m terrified of the idea that his old wounds could open up. That would certainly not be worth the holiday! Last but not least we’re all convinced that a holiday with a dog is much nicer than one without.

What are your favourite things to do with him?
It’s because of him that I’ve become a passionate walker. We walk in the woods for hours! In the evenings we öfter cuddle with Leo on a giant beanbag in front of our fireplace. When I go to do a reading, I usually take him with me. Not only because he makes me feel safe but also because he attracts attention. I’m always happy to tell his – our – story!

Is your dog part of the family?
Definitely. Just like our two rabbits and guinea pigs, all of them taken from shelters. The rabbits live in our garden and move freely. They prefer to be on the terrace with us though, because that’s where they usually find food and cuddles. Leo loves them all. My partner and I work from home so Leo can be with us all the time. Since I write books, I can choose where I work and I often end up in the garden with Leo, who climbs onto the me bench with me to just be close. I can hear his breath and the birds chirping as I write, that’s amazing.

Any advice you would like to give?
I do suggest to get in touch with the local animal shelters. I often wonder why people want a puppy so badly, even though it doesn’t suit their lifestyle. Think carefully about how much time you have for a dog, what you expect from the animal and what kind of dog it is that you want. You can’t choose an animal based on looks! I truly believe that everyone can find “his” dog in a kennel. One to fall in love with.

PS: “Dogs appear in all my books, of course. It would be weird if not, my characters need them as much as we do, says Tina Schlegel, 49. She has been writing for various newspapers, currently for the Augsburger Allgemeine, and since 2015 also novels. Seven of her crime novels have been published by Emons Verlag and this year her first romance will come out Tina Schlegel lives in Kempen on the Lower Rhine.

Alessandra, you’re saying you didn’t agree when your husband got the Rottweiler puppy. You “ignored him” for quite some time, right?
Yes I did. But it was no point – there he was! And, I must admit, Shaytan grew into a very affectionate dog with great personality.

What kind of relationship do you have?
Our relationship is linked exclusively to the exchange of cuddles. He expects caresses from me and every time he sees me he puts himself in the right position to receive them.

Do you have a “trick” that always works with him, whatever happens?
The only command I need is “Sit” when I take the clothes out of the washing machine. And he obeys immediately.

If your dog was a person – who would he be?
A great athlete because of his physical performance and his discipline.

Why do you love him?
I’ve actually learned to love him, because he has always shown me respect, affection and discipline.

What are your favorite things to do with him?
I don’t spend much time with him. We share brief moments, that’s it.

Is your dog part of the family and the household?
I never let him into the house. He’s always out in the garden watching over us so we all feel protected.

Your advice for someone who would like to get a dog but can’t decide?
Thanks to Shaytan I understood that a dog can be loved like a human being.

Claudio, you’re an experienced Rottweiler owner. Before Shaytan you’ve had two other ones. What’s so special about Shaytan?
He is extraordinarily sociable, independent, balanced and protective. 

What kind of relationship have you established with him?
Our relationship is of mutual love and respect. 

How do you “understand” each other?
Our language is based on the tone of voice and my posture while I’m getting my message across. A “trick” that works for me is a serious gaze with the index finger of my hand pointing upwards. 

If Shaytan were a person who would he be?
Our best friend. 

When you need to go away for a couple of days – what do you do with him?
We leave him in a kennel closeby, where he socializes with everyone. He has been used to it since he was a child so leaving him there never feels like abandonment but it’s a great pleasure. He knows he’ll get to play with other dogs! With other people he behaves in a respectful and helpful manner. 

What do you enjoy with him the most?
Long walks in the meadows. 

Any advice for people who are thinking about getting a Rottweiler?
Rottweilers are certainly not for everyone. I recommend them only to those who know how to educate them from the beginning, due to their character, behavioral characteristics and size. It’s all about educational principles at the beginning, about discipline, coherence and firmness. If you manage to get through the first few months you’ll receive their utmost and total fidelity.